Romeo & Juliet : dramatis personae + your parts!

Lord Capulet : Quentin
Lady Capulet : Emma
Juliet Capulet : Manon
Tybalt, a Capulet : Corentin
Lord Montague : Thomas
Lady Montague : Marie
Romeo Montague : Louis
Benvolio, a Montague : Alexis
Prince Escalus, Prince of Verona : Alexandre
Nurse, Juliet's nurse : Mayssa
Paris, a young nobleman of Verona : Julien
Mercutio, Romeo's friend : Louanne
Friar Laurence : Pierre
Friar John : Nicolas
Sampson, Capulet's servant : Mélanie
Gregory, Capulet's servant : Raphaëlle
Balthasar, Romeo's servant : Mélissa
Two servants of the Montague family : Tom & Cynthia
Paris's servant : Mary
Musicians : première pupils

Guided tour of the exhibition by Damien Deroubaix and etching workshop at the "Creux de l'enfer" in Thiers, Tuesday 8 November (photos by Mr Saint-André)

Link: click HERE!

Sad/happy by Youmi

Sad thoughts

Only yesterday, he said to me "I love you" and I caught him this morning kissing another girl. Why did he let me down for her? I seriously can't imagine he would do this to me! I'm so stupid, I should have seen it coming. I'm maybe too ugly, too boring, too shy? But, did I really deserve this? She wasn't that pretty, was she? I would have done anything for him. I often fall on boys like him... I hate him! I feel so bad. Did he really love me all that time? Was he sincere? I don't understand. I hope he will be happy at least...

Happy thoughts

Sad/happy by Clotilde & Margaux

Sad thoughts

I thought they were my friends. They've been using me all this time. I'm sick and tired of it all. They laugh at me behind my back. I wish I could just disappear. Everyone is going to the party except me of course. Everybody will speak about it the next day, just to spite me… No family, no friends, no life, basically…

Happy thoughts

I need to find new friends, people I can trust. (Train conductor speaks to her). What’s he saying? I haven’t seen him before; maybe he’s new on the line? He's very young for a conductor. He seems really nice. He’s quite handsome too. Maybe I’ll ask him to help me with my bags when I get off…

Sad/happy by Emeline

Sad question

The question is: should I keep going or just give up? Is it really right to keep putting up with all the stuff life keeps chucking at me? Perhaps I should try to keep fighting; I might win in the end. Maybe, maybe not… If I do go to sleep for ever, I won’t get hurt anymore, I won’t have to put up with all the daily hassle. I am really tempted… I’d be dead and just dream for ever, maybe. Dreams or, more likely, nightmares!

Imagine if I live a long life; I’ll have all those health problems and get all grey; I’ll have to put up with all those bullies and all those pretentious idiots looking down on me; I’ll have my lover give up on me; and people taking advantage of my good nature, as usual. I could just slash my wrists and be done with it! I mean, why put up with it all, and being bored all my life? But, I’m so scared of the after-life; I mean, what’s it like? I wouldn’t be able to come back… But, should I put up with all the bad things in this life, because I don’t know if it might not be even worse after I’m dead? I’m such a coward! If I could just stop thinking about it and get it over with!

Happy answer

I like this train, it’s so slow. It makes a lot of noise, it hisses when it stops. It keeps going, keeps going, keeps going. It’s old but happy! It has friends. I must get on the right track too and just enjoy the rest of my journey…

More pictures of our day out!

X 4208 "Panoramique" in repair...

CLICK HERE!

In the cabin of the Picasso...

CLICK HERE!

Lights, camera, action, and we're rolling!

Sad/happy by Léa & Lia-léna

Sad thoughts

Dad, I took my first steps with you. You taught me patiently so many things; you gave me the strength to face up to life. You were always so positive, always listening to me; I shared so much happiness with you. You prepared me for so many things, even your death. Where are you? You’re such a good pilot, how can you be missing in action?! Are you really dead? It’s impossible, not you, not my dad! Yesterday, you smiled at me, and you left, promising to come back very soon. I’d give anything to know where you are…

Happy thoughts

Sad/happy by César & Alexandre

Sad thoughts

Why did I gamble? I could have stopped… I am so stupid! I had everything: a happy family, a beautiful house, a decent job. But now I have nothing left… What am I going to do now? If only I could go back; I wouldn’t make the same mistakes again. I would not have gone to the casino every evening. I would have stayed home and taken better care of my kids. I would have given them presents instead of wasting my money on blackjack. If they take me back, I promise we will go on a journey around the world together. I would do things every day with my kids. I want to see my friends again. My life is a real nightmare. Will my wife ever forgive me? All I want is my family back. I don't deserve their love…

Happy thoughts

Who sent me this box? Why is there no name on it? (opens box) Hey, I remember this car! My dad gave it to me one winter when I was sick off school. That's a happy memory... And this ball, it's the one my friends and me played with. And this drawing, I made it with my best friend in primary school. Hey, it's not bad!  Ha, the sword! My weapon of choice to play the knight in shining armour with my cousins during the summer holidays...It’s got to be my mother who sent me this box. Can she still love me?

Sad/happy by Antoine, Clément, Santiago &Thibault

Sad song

Yeah, it’s my life, my own words I guess...

Have you ever loved someone so much, you'd give an arm for?
Not the expression, no, literally give an arm for?
When they know they're your heart
And you know you were their armour
And you will destroy anyone who would try to harm her
But what happens when karma turns right around and bites you?
And everything you stand for turns on you to spite you?
What happens when you become the main source of her pain?
"Daddy, look what I made", Dad's gotta go catch a plane
"Daddy, where's Mommy? I can't find Mommy where is she?"
I don't know, go play Hailie, baby, your Daddy's busy
Daddy's writing a song, this song ain't gonna write itself
I'll give you one underdog then you gotta swing by yourself
Then turn right around in that song and tell her you love her
And put hands on her mother, who's a spitting image of her
That's Slim Bobby, yeah baby, Slim Bobby's crazy
Bobby made me, but tonight Bobby's rocka-by-baby...
And when I'm gone, just carry on, don't mourn
Rejoice every time you hear the sound of my voice
Just know that I'm looking down on you smiling
And I didn't feel a thing, so baby don't feel no pain
Just smile back

Sixty thousand people, all jumping out their seat

The curtain closes, they're throwing roses at my feet
I take a bow and thank you all for coming out
They're screaming so loud, I take one last look at the crowd
I glance down, I don't believe what I'm seeing
"Daddy it's me, Help Mommy, her wrists are bleeding"
But baby we're in Sweden, how did you get to Sweden?
"I followed you Daddy, you told me that you weren't leavin'
You lied to me Dad, and now you make Mommy sad
And I bought you this coin, it says 'Number One Dad'
That's all I wanted, I just wanted to give you this coin"
I get the point - fine, me and Mommy are gone"
But baby wait, "it's too late Dad, you made the choice
Now go up there and show 'em that you love 'em more than us"
That's what they want, they want you Marshall
They keep screamin' your name
It's no wonder you can't go to sleep, just take another pill
Yeah, I bet you, you will. You rap about it, yeah, word, k-keep it real
I hear applause, all this time I couldn't see
How could it be, that the curtain is closing on me
I turn around, find a gun on the ground, cock it
Put it to my brain, scream "Die Bobby!" and pop it
The sky darkens, my life flashes, the plane that I was
Supposed to be on crashes and burns to ashes

And when I'm gone, just carry on, don't mourn

Rejoice every time you hear the sound of my voice

Just know that I'm looking down on you smiling

And I didn't feel a thing, so baby don't feel no pain

Just smile back

Happy song

That's when I wake up, alarm clock ringin', there's birds singin'
That’s when I realized it was my daughter who woke me up.

Tears start to come … I raise my head, see my wife and realize I’m going to be married
The most beautiful day of my life, spoiling him with such melancholy…

Never would I let my family leave me …

Because it’s thanks to them that towards the glory I am to fly away

Never music will pass before them…

Because my family which makes me the most happy…

Sad/happy by Camille & Amélie

Sad thoughts

What am I doing in this train, going north? The north, it's just so sad and it's always raining... I should be heading to the music school in the south! My parents want me to study Law, but I won a place to go to music school full-time… I want to be a Jazz saxophonist! I would so love to see my friends in the orchestra again; I miss them so much… Without music I'm nothing, and now my parents want to take it all away from me. When we played on New Year's Eve, I was so nervous. I had to do my first solo; I dropped all my music I was so stressed-out! Once on stage, my heart was beating so fast! Then the conductor waved at me; I stood up and played...

(Music: Kind of Blue, Miles Davis)

Positive thoughts

My solo went really well; I was so relieved! All my friends congratulated me, and then we had that party. We all laughed so much. It was one of the best moments of my life!  That's it, I've made up my mind: I will carry on playing music whatever happens. Music gives meaning to my life, it gives me friends… When I play my sax I don't feel so shy. I'm not going to quit just to please my parents! At the next station I'm getting off and taking the first train south!

Sad/happy by Willem

Sad thoughts

"Why did you have to die? You were always there for me... When I was sad you always said something funny to get me out of the blues. You died, man! Dumb gangs… I always said you shouldn't deal drugs! When you lose a friend, that’s when you need him most! From now on, I'll do things alone… That's why I'm on this train, to get away, to start a new life somewhere, on my own... I don't know if it’s the right thing to do... I’m going crazy! I need you, my friend".

Happy thoughts

(The ticket inspector talks to me)

"Yeah, that guy's right. He wouldn't want me to be sad. He would want me to have fun. What did we like to do together? Yes, that's it: going to the amusement park! Those giant rollercoasters are so great! I remember us laughing out loud the whole time; those were good times… The vibrations of this train feel like the carts being pulled up the big dipper. Wait a second, what if the train was a rollercoaster cart? Hell, yeah, that would be fun, bigtime!"

Music for our short film

Steve Reich: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LimnkPiP9QA
Steve Reich: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t88-FQNk_aY

César Frank: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU6QjFHUqdQ

Eric Satie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Bxoa4nHZFo

J. S. Bach: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0T6KysSejQ

Arvo Pärt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA0U22ZMVR0

Yann Tiersen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNRmUAdoAyk

Glen Miller: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULW1LOCObEA

Miles Davies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbxtYqA6ypM

A fireside story...

Jane: I’ve got a story to tell you all! In the winter of ’32, I turned 17. I hit the road for the first time, taking the advice of older hobos. I headed south to warmer climes where I could get work, $1-a-day plus food and shelter. I made friends with a young woman in the same situation as me. Mary was also my age and size. Everyone believed we were sisters. We thought a lot alike and hit if off very good. We teamed up and decided to make our fortune together. All went well with us, until one night when Mary and I were riding on the ladders between two boxcars. It was so cold my hands nearly froze. I slipped my arm over a rung of the ladder and put my hand in my jacket pocket. Being back to back, I couldn’t see Mary. All of a sudden the train gave a jerk, as it took up slack in the draw bars. I heard Mary let out a muffled moan. Mary was gone, disappeared under the wheels! No way could Mary survive. I got so sick I had to climb up and lie on the catwalk. From then on, I was a loner. I never teamed up with anyone again, but I kept on the road…

Girl: But you’re not on your own darling; I’m here for you!

Jane: Is that you? I thought you were a goner!

Girl: Why do you say that? Don't you remember our conversation?

Jane: Yeah, I remember, yeah … so where did you get to? You left me all alone!

Girl: But, I didn't leave! You would have been in so much trouble if it wasn’t for me, Jane! I always keep an eye on you!

The others: Ha, Jane's losing it guys!

Girl: Jane, stay with us!

Jane: OK, Mary, OK...

A story our grandmother told us...

Our grandmother was born in 1889. In those days it was not uncommon for men to come to the kitchen door of a house and ask to do chores in exchange for food. The house she grew up in was not far from the railroad tracks. Our grandmother’s mother would give the hobo a simple chore, because often he was not physically able to do much, but none would not take a plate of food without working for it first.

Granny was born with a hearing problem. One afternoon, she was about ten, she was walking between the railroad tracks on her way home from school. She never heard the train whistle and must have had her mind on something else, because when she realized the tracks were vibrating and looked up to see the train behind her, she froze.

Out of nowhere, an old hobo ran up and scooped her up off the tracks. She was so shaken up he walked her home. Her mother came to the door and took her daughter inside to fix her a cup of tea and calm her down. When she went back outside to thank the old hobo, he was gone.

A few minutes later, another hobo came by to inquire about possible chores. When our great-grandmother asked him if he had seen the old hobo, he told her that he had passed away in the hobo jungle earlier that week. Our grandmother told the man what had happened and described the old hobo. The man swore it had indeed been him that had saved her...

Often, our grandmother would hear stories from other hobos that would stop by  her home about the solitary old hobo who haunted the tracks…

Harry's diary

Cesar: Hey guys, look, I found Harry’s diary among the stuff he left!  Shall we read it?

“Dear diary,

My name is Harry Huston, I’m sixteen. I left home yesterday. My parents beat me all the time so I decided to leave. I’m now a hobo, I suppose. I’ll go where the railroad takes me…

I’m riding the rails, going West. I’m a bit scared, but I’m happy. I met some other hobos my age. They are okay, friendly. They taught me some secret signs: one means “this is a good place to stay”, another means “dangerous dog”. They also gave me some good advice on how to survive.

I hopped off the train. Maybe I’ll find work in this small town. I’m so tired. I’ll just sleep near the station. I hope nobody comes during the night.”

Tony: “My turn to read!”

“Dear diary,

It’s my second day on the run. I couldn’t sleep last night. People kept coming past and looking at me suspiciously. I’m hungry.

I went to the saloon to ask for a job, but they told me to get lost. They called me a bum. I think I’ll hitch a ride on the next train.

I’m on the train now with some others. They talk too much. I’ll try and get some sleep…”

Alex: “Give it me!”

“Dear diary,

Day three, it’s the end of the morning. I’m with the others. We got off the train because one of the guys thinks we can find work on a farm in these parts.

Evening: I got a job on a farm! The boss says we can sleep in the barn. At last, food!

Day four

We worked hard all day long. I earned a dollar. Tomorrow we’ll have to move on though.

Day five

I like my new friends.”

Alex: “His diary end there… How did Harry die?”

Cesar: "I was on the train. He threw me his bundle. He missed his step trying to get on..."

Christmas ghost stories in a hobo jungle... Photos of our play "The hobo jungle" by Mr Saint André